Washington distillery nears crowd-funding goal

A new independent “women-owned” distillery and cocktail bar in Washington DC has secured almost 80% of its fundraising target in just 72 hours.

Washington DC’s Republic Restoratives distillery is set to open this summer

Planning to make Bourbon, rye, vodka and liqueurs, Republic Restoratives is set to open this summer is the US capital.

The distillery launched on crowd-funding website Indiegogo three days ago and has already secured almost US$60,000 of its US$75,000 goal.

Described as an “urban, small-batch, women-owned” distillery, Republic Restoratives was founded by friends Pia Carusone and Rachel Gardner, who have backgrounds in politics and sustainable development respectively.

The pair intend to create vodka using eastern sweet corn and an “exceedingly approachable” Bourbon which is “not too sweet, not too hot” with the help of master distiller Berle “Rusty” Figgins Jr.

Money raised on Indiegogo will be used to pay for the remainder of the company’s still and fermenting tanks, and its first shipment of 50 American white oak casks, worth US$500 each.

Republic Restoratives offers a range of “perks” for donations, including free tours and the opportunity to have their name inscribed on a cask of Bourbon.

A number of spirits producers have sought expansion through crowd-funding – as these top 10 projects shows.